Tunnelling on the North West Rail Link breaks into Showground Station

Tunnelling on the North West Rail Link is more than a third complete as the first of the project’s four tunnel boring machines broke through into the new Showground Station site.

Artist impression of the North West Rail Link Showground Station.

Already four tunnel boring machines have built over a third of the 30km of tunnels that will deliver the North West Rail Link's eight new train stations.

When the tunnel Boring Machine Elizabeth broke through into the new Showground Station, which is being built underground at Castle Hill, Premier Mike Baird and Minister for Transport Andrew Constance also revealed the station's new design.

The station platform will be about 20–25 meters below street level and the station entrance will be at the corner of Carrington Road and Doran Drive. The station is located right next to its namesake ‘Castle Hill Showground’, the location will provide better access to rapid transit services by train for people living, working and visiting the area.

Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Andrew Constance said the North West Rail Link will provide a significant boost to capacity across the rail network.

"From the end of the project at Chatswood, rapid transit services will continue under Sydney Harbour, through new stations in the CBD and west to Bankstown," Mr Constance said.

The North West Rail Link is ahead of schedule with services to start in the first half of 2019, delivering a train every four minutes in the peak.

The North West Rail Link

Tunnelling work involves 30km of tunnels to be cut by four Tunnel Boring Machines. It includes twin 15km tunnels from Bella Vista to Epping, these will be Australia's longest railway tunnels.